If I Only Had a Brain! The Science Behind Better Project Teams and Communication

When Great Work Falls on Deaf Ears

Do any of these sound familiar?

  • You’re in the middle of a project and need to provide a status report to an audience. You prepare a brilliant presentation and several people compliment you afterwards. But the next day two different people ask you questions about key points that you thought were very clear.
  • You create a Business Intelligence dashboard using Power BI (or your tool of choice) to summarize key project metrics. It looks great and tells the story, but several people don’t seem to get it and request verbal explanations of key items.
  • You write a narrative project summary that effectively tells the story of a recent project. However, your manager requests a summary of key metrics. And a colleague asks for a couple of diagrams to illustrate key points.

You’re Not Doing Anything Wrong—Brains Just Work Differently

Did you do something wrong?

Probably not. Chances are that you did a great job. However, some people prefer seeing the data and the facts. Other people need a narrative description, even a story. Others need bullet points or diagrams.

Your brain is constantly trying to minimize danger and maximize rewards.
Your brain is constantly trying to minimize danger and maximize rewards.

The Hidden Science Behind High-Performing Teams

In a departure from tech-focused MPUG presentations, the webcast I’ll deliver on May 28 is all about your brain!

You’ll discover new ways to think about thinking, and you’ll appreciate something you already know at some level – that not everyone thinks the same way – but you’ll walk away with ideas you can implement to help you appeal to a broader array of thinking styles.

You’ll realize why certain teams click and produce results quickly, but why they may not deliver optimal results. In contrast, you’ll see that some teams struggle to get started but produce stronger results. The nature of the brain explains the difference.

We’ll also look at something called the SCARF model as we talk about ways that our brains react to what’s going on around us. Best of all, the SCARF model will highlight ways to use knowledge of brain functions to communicate more effectively.

Dealing with distractions requires mental effort!
Dealing with distractions requires mental effort!

Ready to unlock the secrets of neuroscience for better project leadership?

Join me, Scott Helmers, on Wednesday, May 28 from 12:00-1:00 PM EDT:

If I Only Had a Brain! Applying Neuroscience Principles to be a Better Leader, Follower, and Teammate.

In just 60 minutes, you’ll discover how to:

  • Use your brain more effectively in project scenarios
  • Leverage Ned Herrmann’s Whole Brain theory for diverse teams
  • Apply David Rock’s SCARF model to improve stakeholder engagement
  • Recognize and work with different thinking styles

Plus, earn 1 PMI PDU (Power Skills) for your professional development!

Technology may be the easy part, but working with people doesn’t have to be hard. When you understand how the brain works and the different ways people think, you can engage more effectively as a leader, follower, and teammate.

Sign up for a membership or login to register for this live Zoom event.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to transform your project communication through neuroscience. See you on May 28!


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Written by Scott Helmers
Scott Helmers is a business process consultant, data visualizer, app designer, and trainer. He is a co-inventor of TaskMap (TaskMap.com), a Visio add-in that allows anyone to create data-rich, easy-to-read maps of any business process. Scott has been the best-selling author of books about Visio more 15 years and has been a Visio MVP every year since 2008. He’s created Visio, Power BI, and process mapping courses for LinkedIn Learning (bit.ly/LILAuthor) and shares his Visio, data visualization, and business process knowledge at conferences around the world. When he’s not at his keyboard, you’re likely to find Scott on his bicycle or dabbling in community theater.
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